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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | A P R I L 2 0 1 6
8 METALS | POLYMERS | CERAMICS
polymer align in areas called crystal-
lites. These crystallites fix the material
into a temporary shape that becomes
increasingly stable as their numbers
increase. The team discovered that
this crystallization process is inhibited
by molecular linkers. By altering the
number, type, and distribution of these
linkers, they were able to precisely set
the temperature at which the crystal-
lites break apart—triggering the recoil—
to 35°C, just below body temperature.
The polymer could have a variety of ap-
plications, including sutures, artificial
skin, and body-heat assisted medical
dispensers. .
CONSORTIUM ON CYLINDER
HEAD DESIGN
Southwest Research Institute
(SwRI), San Antonio, formed the Alu-
minum Head Evaluation, Analysis,
and Durability (AHEAD) consortium,
which aims to reduce weight and im-
prove durability of aluminum cylinder
heads used in both gasoline and diesel
Mohsen Esmaily in his atmospheric corrosion laboratory. Courtesy of Mats Tiborn.
Houghton International, Valley
Forge, Pa., received approval from
Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford,
Conn., to use Hocut 4940 Metalwork-
ing Fluid in the production of its
aircraft engines andmilitary power
units. .
Global Tungsten & Powders Corp.
(GTP), Towanda, Pa., announced
a partnership with Dynalloy
Industries Inc., Houston, for
distribution of GTP’s thermal spray
powders. Dynalloy will also provide
service to Louisiana, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, and parts of Canada.
GTP manufactures tungsten and
molybdenum products.
,
.
BRIEFS
SCRA, Columbia, S.C., was selected to lead the Navy Metalworking
Center, Johnstown, Pa., a U.S. Navy Manufacturing Technologies Center
of Excellence, chartered by the Office of Naval Research. The award is an
indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract with an order maximum of
$99,000,000 over five years. SCRA will operate and manage the Center in
partnership with EWI, Columbus, Ohio. .
RHEOCASTING REDUCES
MAGNESIUM REACTIVITY
Mohsen Esmaily, an atmospheric
corrosion researcher at Chalmers Uni-
versity of Technology, Sweden, discov-
ered that magnesium alloys produced
by rheocasting are up to four times
more corrosion resistant than those
same alloys produced by conventional
high-pressure die casting. This could
lead to increased use of magnesium
in automobiles, reducing their weight
and fuel consumption. At 30% light-
er than aluminum, magnesium is the
lightest construction metal, but it is
also the most reactive, which has his-
torically made it ill-suited for use in
vehicles. While magnesium producers
have attempted to address reactivity
by developing new alloys and coatings,
Esmaily’s research shows the poten-
tial of microstructure manipulation in
reducing magnesium’s corrosiveness.
.
SHAPE MEMORY POLYMER
TRIGGERED BY BODY HEAT
Researchers at the University
of Rochester, N.Y., created a shape
memory polymer triggered by body
heat alone to snap back to its original
shape after deformation. As the mate-
rial is stretched, small segments of the
Time-lapse photo of a new shape memory
polymer reverting to its original shape after
exposure to body temperature. Courtesy of
Adam Fenster/University of Rochester.